Proverbs 27:17 reminds us of a specific truth: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Not long after he stepped on Kansas Wesleyan University’s campus, junior Kayden McVicker began seeing this verse play out in his life. After a rocky freshman year, things changed for the better in his faith journey — thanks in part to a men’s Bible study.
“One thing that has helped me a lot with growing my faith the last few years is being around other men and understanding what it means to be a man in Christ,” McVicker said.
While there are other Bible studies on campus, there hadn’t been one dedicated to male students for several years. That dynamic changed last semester, when Campus Minister Scott Jagodzinske and Dr. Brandon Cheeks, Campus Ministry advisor, rebooted the men’s study with a core group of students.
“We wanted to create a space where guys could ask questions openly with other guys to help them understand what our call and our role is in the world,” Jagodzinske said.
During the fall semester, the group dove into the book of James, breaking down each passage while extracting practical truths. This semester, the study shifted to the book of Psalms with a specific question in mind — what does it mean to be a Christian man?
“Through the men’s group, I’m understanding that it’s not just me that has certain issues and struggles with things,” McVicker said. “Other men struggle with them, too. Being vulnerable enough to share with the group the lessons I’ve learned and struggles I’ve been through has helped me grow and move past those things.”
Each group meeting typically consists of about five students on average. While Jagodzinske would love to see the group grow in numbers, he points to the impact students have when they interact with others in their daily lives.
“If there is transformation being done in that small group, how much bigger is that going to multiply when they go back into the world and they are talking with their friends, family and classmates?” he said. “One life can touch so many more beyond this space.”
McVicker says he’s already experienced the effect on his friendships and daily interactions with others. As a center forward on the KWU men’s soccer developmental team, he enjoys being able to connect with people from other countries and cultures. Through the men’s small group and his travels with soccer, McVicker has a newfound confidence in living out his faith.
“In the past, my definition of confidence would have been me, myself, and I,” he said. “Nowadays, it’s about how I can use my confidence to boost others’ ability to grow, as well as myself. I’ve found that if I’m able to help others, it’s also helping me grow because I’m learning lessons as I teach others.”
McVicker’s confidence also led him to begin sharing his faith on TikTok, using the platform to post Bible verses and encouraging messages. Whether it’s online, over the phone or in person, McVicker credits KWU’s leadership for sharing their wisdom with him so he can pour into the lives of others.
“People like Scott and Brandon have helped me grow closer to Christ because of the support they give and the understanding they’re able to give us,” he said.
Jagodzinske, who also serves as the men’s soccer team chaplain, first met McVicker on the field. After asking the forward to join the group, Jagodzinske says he’s witnessed the difference it’s made in McVicker’s life.
“I’ve seen him really open up about his faith in the group,” he said. “I think it’s been a great learning experience for him to see for himself his potential in his faith journey.”
Jagodzinske says he is excited about the work being done through KWU Campus Ministry.
“We’re seeing the last 10 years of work really starting to pop out,” he said. “It’s showing up with students getting excited and starting up Bible studies in their dorms. I hear about another new Bible study about every other week.”
The director also points to the community growth and recognition Campus Ministry is experiencing.
“The faith community around the college and in Salina has started to get involved,” Jagodzinske said. “They’ve started to take notice that we have incredible young people here who are excited about their faith. We’ve got churches that are wanting to partner with the college or people from churches wanting to partner with Campus Ministry. God is definitely moving.”
Story by Eric Brown
